Stop and Smell The Roses
by wemmawriter
Summary: Will and Emma haven't seen each other all Summer, but decide to meet up just before school begins.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: My secon****d Wemma Fan Fiction. Please read and review; I really appreciate your comments and suggestions. Hope you enjoy!**

The summer was almost over. In its own hot, humid way, the sun had beat down on the small town of Lima, Ohio, for what felt like forever. Never ceasing, with the exception of a couple of light thunderstorms, the yellow god in the bright blue sky managed to lap up every single rogue drop of water. Or so it felt like to the residents. The local pools, lakes and play fountains were overcrowded with children and adults trying to keep cool. Air-conditioners worked overtime and assorted ice creams became the food of choice. At least by late afternoon, it began to cool slightly, providing a welcome relief. Regardless of the temperature, summer offered the perfect opportunity to spend time with family and friends.

Now, late August, the sun thought he'd done enough damage, his intensity decreasing as small signs of autumn crept through. In only a couple of weeks, school would reopen. The students at McKinley High would be another year older, their maturity level improving or regressing, depending on the clique. The school's Glee Club would be back in force, determined this time around to win Nationals after their 12th placing in May. And Will Schuester and Emma Pillsbury would see each other for the first time since the summer began.

It wasn't like they were avoiding each other. There were phone calls every second week, mostly 'Hi, how are you' type ones, not digging any further. Emma was still taking her medication, seeing her therapist, and making slow yet steady progress. She was so proud of herself; Will could hear her voice perk up each time Emma had made a breakthrough. The glove wearing was finally over, and now it was only 10 seconds under the tap for unwashed fruit. What seemed so trivial was a huge accomplishment. Emma was fortunate to have Will to share this with, if only it wasn't solely over the phone. Neither party were willing to ask for a catch up. Emma always chickened out at the last minute. And Will? The thought always crossed his mind; instead he kept telling himself that she needed more time. Or maybe he was the one that needed the space.

Emma spent her summer mostly in her apartment, keeping cool with her brand new air conditioner, cleaning and sorting through her belongings. Just like she did with Will, she made three boxes, one with items to keep, one with items to throw out and one for charity. Most items in her throw away box were memories of Carl. She couldn't face them anymore. That part of her life was over. Gladly so; Emma never wanted to revisit it again. It was too heartbreaking. Her eyes skimmed over to the keep box; Will's vest was neatly folded on top. His vest would never be thrown out. That vest was the only precious memory that made last year at McKinley bearable.

Will, on the other hand, gave his full attention to preparing for the new school year, developing a rigorous schedule for the Glee Club. His Spanish lesson plan for the next 4 months was complete, and to immerse himself further in the language, in early August, took off down to Mexico for a mini-holiday. He watched the stunning orange and crimson sunsets on the beach, drink in hand, relaxing, never wanting to leave. He reflected on the past year. And Emma. A day never went by when he didn't think of her. Will considered asking her to come along, choosing not to in the end. Too soon. He knew she was cooped up in her apartment, shying away from the public, only venturing out to attend therapy sessions or purchase groceries.

Upon his return, he called Emma straight away, telling her all about his getaway south of the border. It was life-affirming, and taught him so much more about living in the moment, capturing every instant and turning it into something wonderful. His eyes were open to the bigger picture, and although Emma was improving each day, she needed to live a little, too.

"You've been holed up in your apartment all summer, Em. You need to get outside, get some fresh air, some sun, anything."

His words bounced around her head. He was right. And to be honest, seeing the same four walls everyday was making Emma a teensy bit stir crazy.

"Well, did you want to go for a walk or something?" She couldn't let the rest of the summer go by without seeing Will.

Absence was making Emma's heart grow fonder. The reassuring arm around her shoulder at the end of school year held a promise for a fresh start. For both of them. Free of the troubles and relationships that plagued and toyed with their friendship. Emma wanted to feel Will's arm around her again. Sometimes, if she closed her eyes and allowed her mind to go blank, Will was always near her. At times, that just wasn't enough. Even the vest was losing the faint scent of Will's cologne.

Will smiled to himself. "Sound great. This afternoon? I'll pick you up at about 4. We can do the Ottawa River Walk."

"Terrific!" Emma replied enthusiastically, before softening her voice. "See you then."


	2. Chapter 2

By 4pm, Emma was all ready to go. She gave away the idea of wearing a dress, opting instead for jean shorts and a green and blue paisley cuffed sleeve blouse. She grabbed her yellow shoulder bag, but almost dropped it when there was a knock at her door. Emma couldn't believe how easily startled she was. _This isn't a date or anything, Emma, just a walk with a friend. A good friend. A very good friend._ But haven't seeing Will for so long, it felt exactly like that. Those first date jitters started tickling her insides. One deep breath, then another, and her tummy jitters subsided. She opened the door.

"Hi."

"Hi."

Emma looked up at Will, meeting his light brown eyes. Still the same crooked smile, but hair a little shorter and from what she could see his skin a lot tanner. His polo shirt showed off his strong biceps, while his cargo shorts slung low on his hips. A tiny squeak leapt from Emma's mouth. _Oh man_. Man was right. 160lb of man, right in front of her. Drop-dead gorgeous.

"C'mon, give me a hug. It's been so long," Will didn't allow Emma time to think, instead gathering her in his arms for a tight squeeze. It felt… nice. And so familiar. His body warmed from having the adorable Emma Pillsbury so intimately close, her delicate features causing mayhem in his mind. If anything, she had gotten prettier over the summer. It would only take a slight movement of his head and his lips would be touching hers, in a kiss that would spark a bushfire. But he resisted. Her rosy pink cheek would do for now.

Goose bumps rippled through her, starting from the spot where his cool lips brushed her cheek. "So good to see you, Will," Emma managed to whisper, still wrapped in his arms. She didn't want to let go. His gripped loosened however, so she stepped back slowly, sliding her hands down his arms. He shrewdly kept hold of her fingertips, lovingly examining her feminine outline.

"Your hair..." Will started.

Emma grinned. "What about my hair?"

"It's grown so much since the end of school." He raised his left hand, touching the ends of her wavy locks. "It looks pretty, long like this."

She blushed, looking down at her sandals, then back at Will. "Thank you."

Without realising, they kept hold of each other, smiling in a silence so loud it spoke volumes, much more than they had the courage to admit. Will let go hastily and ran his hand through his own hair. "Ready to go?" He nervously chuckled, jangling his car keys.

"Yep!" Emma shook herself out of the daze she was in and followed behind, locking the door to her apartment. Her upbeat façade was working nicely. Staying this way would be harder. This was the first time she had left the house for reasons other than her normal therapist appointments or shopping. It scared her a little bit.

They took the lift down to the ground floor, but as soon as they reached the huge glass doors to the building complex, Emma froze.

"I don't know if I can do this, Will. Step outside, I mean," she drew in a sharp breath. "Some days it's easy and some days it's hard." Right now, it was if her feet and brain were operating on two different frequencies. As much as Emma pleaded for her feet to move, they wouldn't have a bar of it. Frustrating.

"Em, have you spoken to your therapist about agoraphobia?" Will asked, concerned. _I'm never leaving her by herself again,_ scolding himself for being so selfish to not even consider the consequences of Emma being by herself for long periods.

"Uh-huh. She knows it takes a little time to me to work myself up for her visits. Just that first step, then I'm fine," Emma assured him.

"This is probably something you don't want to hear, but what you're doing to yourself is not healthy. It's not healthy at all. And I'm not going to sit back and watch you spend the rest of the summer indoors," Will replied firmly, bothered by her reclusive tendencies. He would carry her out if he had to.

"I don't feel safe outside sometimes," she confessed, her face etched with apprehension.

"Take that first step and my hand, you're safe with me." He extended a welcoming hand toward her; the other was keeping the door entrance ajar. Emma measurably accepted.

Holding hands, Will tugged her along. Her hand fit snugly into his. They walked to his blue car out in the visitor parking area. He unlocked the doors, opening the passenger door for Emma. Will jumped into the driver's seat and started the engine. His beat-up people mover was as clean as he could get it, going to extraordinary lengths for it to look this good, yet it still looked untidy. Emma didn't seem bothered by it, which was a great sign. And she appeared to be her normal self again. He'd have to help her with that first step a lot more.

"So, the River Walk? Or maybe just drive around and see where the road takes us?" Will suggested, trying to involve Emma with as much outdoor activity as possible, and get that monkey off her back.

Emma mulled the options over. "The River Walk is nice, but let's drive around first, we might see somewhere else to stop."

"Sure thing. Here we go."

They headed west, along the 81, past Schoonover Park. The air conditioner in Will's car was on the blink again, so they wound the windows down to let some air in. The breeze was warm, but a lot cooler than the hot car. Emma fiddled in her handbag for her sunglasses. Will rested his elbow on the open window, smiling at her.

"Are you all ready for school, Em?" Will asked. He followed the road as it merged into Jackson Street.

"I think so. I was emailed an updated curriculum last week, along with new information from the National Office. I've been reading though it bit by bit. I'll definitely have my hands full this year, along with SAT prep. How about you?"

"Let's just say the Glee Club is in for a change this year, I have to get them focused if we're going to win Nationals."

"You can do it Will, this is your year," encouraged Emma. "And wouldn't it be wonderful for some of the students that are graduating to leave on top?"

Will sighed heavily. "I hope I can deliver. We forgot what it was all about last year and became overconfident. Especially me. I let them all down."

"I understand why you feel this way, but you didn't let them down. You shouldn't beat yourself up about it; dwelling on the past isn't going to improve the future." Emma's voice was resolute, but caring. She never liked seeing Will upset with himself. His confidence could be shot in an instant.

He nodded. "You're completely right, Em. Y'know, sometimes, it's just so hard, being an adult, nurturing and supporting these students, that when things doesn't go to plan, you can't help but wonder, have I lost their trust?"

"You're a great role model Will. The Glee kids have faith in you - I have faith in you." Emma placed a hand on his arm.

"Thanks Em, that means a lot." He cleared his throat. "Look at me; I'm ruining a perfectly brilliant afternoon. The exercise was to get you out and about in Lima, not discuss me. How about some tunes to lighten the mood?" Will turned the radio up and they both sang along to the '90s-only station, moving with the music. He wanted to cheer himself up, and singing to old-school songs always helped. Will laughed as he watched Emma, fake microphone in hand, singing a solo.

Company. That's what Will's summer was lacking. One familiar face. That beautiful familiar face. Emma. Her words, sweetness and ability to raise Will's spirit and enthusiasm for his one passion: teaching. He realised he missed her so much. So much it ached.

Emma continued singing, shimmying and clicking her fingers, but stopped suddenly when she spotted a sign on the side of the road.

"Turn into Market Street, I know the perfect place for a walk!" She exclaimed.


	3. Chapter 3

"Where are we going?" Will flicked the indicator, turning right.

Emma clapped her hands. "You said it was hard being an adult. So, let's be kids, for just one afternoon. It'll be fun!"

"Kids, hey? Hmmm… you intrigue me so!" Will squinted and rubbed his chin, pretending to be deep in thought about the destination. "Hint, please?"

She shook her head, remaining tight-lipped.

He tapped his nose and pointed at her. "You know, Em, there are ways for making a woman talk… do I have to tickle it out of you?" He rolled his eyes. _Tickle? Way to be cool, Will_. He wasn't sure what possessed him say that, it just leapt from his mouth, too quick to retract. But now, on second thoughts, Will was glad for his word vomit.

Tickling Emma.

The two words together presented a plethora of outcomes. Incredibly delicious, wonderful outcomes. In Will's mind anyway. The two of them, both writhing with laughter, hands everywhere, Emma squealing for him to stop, looking at him with those Disney-princess eyes of hers, reaching that pivotal moment when…

Emma's body gave an involuntary shiver. The concept of Will touching her in that way was impossible to ignore. She felt her cheeks warm, and this time it wasn't from the heat. Or maybe it was.

But she could hold her own, refusing to let her feelings show. Emma coughed. "I'm not ticklish in the least," she matter-of-factly replied. _Liar. _Will narrowed his eyes, raising an eyebrow in amusement. Her impish grin gave her secret away. Emma was in fact very ticklish.

"Oh, really?" He questioned, as he wriggled the fingers on his right hand closer and closer to her body. "I bet you are, Em. I'd like to put a five-fingered wager to that, care to raise?" Will's word vomit was not relenting at all today. His dismal attempts at being himself were turning into disastrous flirting. And that was definitely not Will's intention at all. If only he could just relax. If only it were that easy. Sitting inches away from Emma was making him, well, antsy. In a good way. And not in the 'let's go for a platonic afternoon stroll' way. More in the 'I think I want to be more than friends' way. And the _less_ time spent around Emma, the _more_ gauche he became when they were together. She always managed to rewire something within Will's soul, triggering emotions only Emma could elicit from him.

She smirked to herself, slapping his hand away. "Just keep driving Schue. And keep your hands on the wheel."

Now Will was the one to shiver. To be honest, she was the one driving him. Crazy. Was Emma…could she be…flirting back? He'd never heard Emma call him 'Schue' before. Coming from her lips, it offered a dash of sexiness.

"Anything you say, _Pillsbury_."

The burn on Emma's cheeks surfaced for a second time. _So this is how you flirt._ She gulped, suddenly flummoxed by her non-Emma-sounding response. "Uh, I didn't mean it that way, Will. I kn-know you wouldn't, uh, um… oh… we're almost here!" Digressing from her stumbled chatter, Emma tried to focus on something, anything, rather than the last 60 seconds. Although there was nothing particularly insinuating about her comment, she felt a little embarrassed by it.

"Hey, it's okay," Will noticed her beginning to shy away. "Let's just take it easy. Chill. This is to be a fun afternoon, not an unpleasant one. With me?"

"I'm with you. But I sounded so silly just before."

"You never sound silly to me," he reassured her. Emma melted a little bit inside. He always had the perfect words to make her feel better.

As they neared the Allen County Museum, Will knew exactly where they were going to spend their afternoon. "Ah, the Children's Garden - what a great idea," he remarked as he drove into the parking lot, finding a free spot close to the entrance.

"Have you visited before?" Will asked as he turned the engine off.

"No, but I have heard about it." Emma undid her seatbelt.

"Wait there, Em, I'll get the door." In a flash, Will was at the passenger side, opening the door. He could be such a gentleman sometimes. Taking her hand, he assisted her out of the car. She adjusted her top and put her bag over her shoulder. Will locked the car and they headed over to the Garden.

As they reached the front gates, the Garden was already bustling with children and adults, exploring new gardens and revisiting their favourites. Hedges shaped like trains and carriages lined the footpath in.

Emma read the purple sign out the front. "It's a place for children of all ages. I guess the saying is true. We never really grow up, just older."

"Wise words. Sometimes I still feel 16 years old. Hey," Will scanned the area, noticing all the people. Half the population of Lima must have had the same idea. "There's lot of people here today. Will you be okay?"

"I'm here with you; I'll be fine." The caring side of Will always allowed Emma to feel at ease. Just knowing he was looking out for her, in a sense, protecting her, gave Emma strength within herself to push aside those compulsions and phobias until they were almost non-existent. Because in Will's presence, they simply vanished. He was her best medicine.

"So, where do you want to explore?" Paths took off in all directions. A huge gazebo straight ahead; further back, a butterfly barn and to the left… "Dora the Explorer! Let's start there!" Will ran over to the Dora and Diego cut-outs and got in line behind the kids already waiting to walk along the yellow paving stone path.

"Em look! A Spanish lesson. This is my type of garden." Each paving stone was numbered one to ten with the Spanish word equivalent. Emma joined him in line as he counted aloud each paver he stepped on.

"Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez! Your turn!"

Emma laughed. She hopped on one leg, repeating the numbers, and as she did that, the children behind her copied. "I'm like the Pied Piper, Will," she exclaimed. "Okay, next one!"

Both Will and Emma felt a resurgence of energy, energy that only children could generate. Energy that never needed a recharge. "What are those coloured globes over there? They look like giant gobstoppers!"

"Only one way to find out, here we go!" They ducked and weaved around the families, and arrived at Gumball Alley. A huge white metal arch marked the start. Blue, purple, red, orange and yellow gumballs, the size of bowling balls, sat in the garden bed in front of the hedge. The path, patterned with matching circle stepping stones, wrapped around a small cottage. To the left, the Dinosaur garden, where a Brontosaurus-shaped metal frame stood under a tree, covered in cream and green creeper vines.

"How great is this? And behind the tree – there's a Tyrannosaurus Rex as well!" They wandered down Gumball Alley, which led to more special-themed gardens, including the ABC Garden to play a game of hopscotch, Zoo garden and a community vegetable patch the local children were caring for. Snow White and her Seven Dwarfs had their own place too. And adjoining them, a path made out of extra-large piano keys.

There was no hesitation in Will's step when he excitedly jumped onto the piano keys and pretended he was playing Chopsticks with his feet. "Come and join me Em. Let's imagine we're in the movie Big at FAO Schwarz. Now start there –" he pointed to a couple of keys, "– and then jump, each time extending out to the next set of keys, ready?" Emma followed his instructions, almost in fits of laughter as Will did the 'da da das' to Chopsticks. When they finished, the small crowd standing there, watching them, applauded. Will beamed at Emma as he high-fived her.

Emma was truly enjoying herself. Never had she felt so free and exhilarated than this afternoon. _Will_. Will had done all of this for her. She forgot about her hideous stab at flirting, her fear of stepping outside her comfort zone and everything that came with it. She was hot and sweaty, but happy. Happy to know what it meant to be living; not caught in a protective bubble world, unable to escape, still seeing the goings-on around and physically incapable of joining in. _Thank you, Will_, she said silently to herself.

"Let's try out luck at dominos now," Will took her hand, zigzagging on the oversized domino pieces, ending at the butterfly barn. A few notices were attached to the wall. "They have a butterfly migration ceremony next month, want to go?"

"Sounds like a plan," Emma joyfully responded. "It's a date." They proceeded to walk over a small wooden bridge and ended up in an expansive grassy area, filled with picnic tables. There were a lot of planned activities already in session – colouring, face painting and storytelling. They decided to join in on the story, so they sat on a couple of free plastic chairs while the narrator finished The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle. When the story was over, they visited the colouring-in station, admiring the children's work at colouring butterflies, bees and ladybugs.

"Hey, excuse me," Will felt a tug on his cargo shorts. A little boy, about six, with curly blond hair, a slight lisp, wearing matching Ben 10 shorts and shirt was eagerly trying to get Will's attention.

"Hi little buddy," Will crouched down to the boy's level. "Are you looking for your mummy?"

"Can you do my shoelaces up? I still don't know how to tie them properly. Mummy always does it, but she's just gone to take my sister to the bathroom."

"Sure. What's your name?"

The freckly-faced child squinted from the glare and replied, "Alex."

"Hi Alex, my name is Will, and this is Emma." Emma bent down as well and shook Alex's hand. He beamed, showing off two missing front teeth. No wonder he was lisping.

Will took the grubby-grey laces and asked, "Do you know the shoelace rhyme?" Alex shook his head.

"Okay, repeat after me: cross laces first, that's what you do, then over and under, around and through!"

Alex replied in his lispy voice, "Cross laces first, that's what you do, then over and under, around and through." As he spoke, Will showed him how to tie his shoelaces.

"There you go, all done. Now, just remember that rhyme and you'll always be able to tie your shoelaces."

"Thank you very much." He turned to Emma, "You're pretty." Then he turned back to Will, "Your girlfriend is pretty."

Will smiled at Emma, unable to take his eyes off her. Alex was very astute. "She is, isn't she?" Will wasn't going to explain to a six year old that they weren't boyfriend/girlfriend. Yet, there was as small part inside that hoped one day it would become a reality. Alex spotted his mum and sister and ran off to join them. "Bye bye!" He called out. "Hey, mummy!"

"Aw, what a sweet kid, he thought we were, you know," Will said as he watched Alex hug him mum. He grew a bit misty-eyed. "I hope I have one just like him. Do you want children, Em?"

"Mm… yeah, I do. I really do," she sighed. "A little human being to hold and love and think, 'I created this beautiful miracle'. I know the whole baby experience with you and Terri took a wrong turn, but you're so good with children, you'll make a great father someday."

"And you'd make an equally impressive mother." Will was still a little sensitive about the fake baby incident, but he could only move forward and perhaps, find the perfect woman to marry and have children with. _I do, I really do._ Maybe he had already found her.

"Aw, Will, that's so – thank you," Emma graciously replied. Inside, she hoped she could live up to that expectation. "Hey, I'm a little hungry. Would you like to get something to eat?"

"Sure, there's a frozen dessert stand near the Gazebo. Let's go there." The line was long, but the sorbets were too good to pass up. It was still warm out and after spending time in the sun, the sorbet would be the perfect reward.

"There's a few different flavours… what would you like?" Will asked as he neared the top of the line.

"Mmm," Emma read all the different flavour names. "Strawberry please."

"Strawberry it is. I've got a penchant for orange this afternoon."

"Great! Here's some money…" Emma began as she rummaged through her purse.

"It's on me," Will told her as he ordered the scoops. He handed her the cup and little plastic spoon, taking the change from the attendant and then his own cup. They took in some well-needed shade at the 'Fallen Timbers' display, a tribute to all the old tree stumps. The dessert was melting faster than expected, so they wolfed it down, competing on who was going to finish first.

"This tastes so good," Emma exclaimed as she finished hers off, beating Will by mere seconds. She licked her lips. Will laughed; Emma had managed to get strawberry sorbet on the base of her chin.

"Shoot, I didn't get any napkins, since when did you become such a messy eater?" Will cheerfully asked. "You've got some on your chin, let me just…" Using his thumb in one swift movement, her chin became sorbet-free. "There."

Emma didn't speak. She couldn't. This is what Will must have felt when she wiped the mustard off his chin. One second of contact. It set her nerve endings on fire. And gave her jelly legs. Emma was about to become a fallen timber herself if she didn't get control of her stance. She knew Will would catch her though.

"I'll be back in a second Em," Will pat her shoulder and walked away. _Or maybe he wouldn't be there to catch her._

Ducking behind a tree, then between hedges, he looked around to ensure no one was watching, and broke off one of the hundreds of red lilies growing wildly in the same garden area. He returned, arms behind his back.

"Where did you sneak off to?" Emma enquired.

Will presented the gorgeous, fully grown lily to Emma. "A lily for the lady."

"Ohhh, this is so beautiful. I love it."

Will smiled. It was the least he could do to surreptitiously show he cared for her. He wanted to give them a second chance. Easier said than done. Will was fairly sure Emma felt the same, but not enough to go for it without facing consequences should he be wrong. But there was still time to find out.

They wandered around the gazebo area some more. Old bicycle carts, bathtubs, desks, pots, wheelbarrows – anything imaginable – became a new home for daffodils, daisies, annuals, tansies and gerberas. Almost every single type of flower was in full bloom and on display to admire. Emma was in her own floral heaven.

And with Will by her side, everything seemed brighter than ever before.

She didn't want the day to end.


	4. Chapter 4

It was nearing dusk. The breeze had changed from warm and stuffy to cool and refreshing. Families began to wander towards the exit, their exhausted yet exuberant children in tow from an afternoon of scurrying around the various mini-gardens. Will and Emma were enjoying a short pit-stop under the gazebo after a highly competitive match of checkers on the red and black-painted tree stumps a little earlier. It was almost time for them to leave too, but there was one part of the garden left to see. Will had spotted it earlier and steered Emma away from it; he wanted to save it until the very last. No interruptions, no rowdy children, just the two of them.

"Oh Will, this has been such a great day, I really like spending time with you." Emma meant every word. She secretly dared to admit to herself that in only a couple of hours, she had fallen in love with Will all over again. This time however, Emma didn't need to fall very far. She was already there.

"Close your eyes, Em. I want to show you something."

Emma shut her eyes immediately. Will took her hand, guiding her towards a secluded part of the garden where the roses were on display. Her steps were cautious, and being unable to see gave her the giggles, but she knew she was in good hands. Will stopped her in front of a sign, speaking delicately in her ear, "You can open your eyes now."

Emma's eyes flickered open and focused on the sign in front of her. It read 'STOP & SMELL THE ROSES', part of it taking advantage of an old, unused road sign. Regardless of how old it was or the fact that its use in stopping traffic was definitely over, Emma obeyed its instruction. She breathed in the scent that surrounded her, wide-eyed at the numerous roses, all different colours and sizes, laid out before her. A beautiful, blooming, rainbow of roses. She spun around on her heels to speak to Will.

Emma squealed with delight. "Gosh this is amazing! My favourite flower! So pretty!"

Will grinned. "It's time to stop and smell the roses. Walk with me?"

The duo slowly walked up and down the paths lovingly guarded by roses, chatting quietly.

"I've been thinking a lot lately about my life and my future, Em. There are times when I realise everything is going so fast and one day, I'll wake up and 'boom', it'll all be over. I watched the children in Mexico, playing, living, happy, not caring about what they have and what they haven't. All those sunrises and sunsets I saw, you know, I've never taken the time to really look at one and experience its beauty until I went on vacation." Will's thoughts, all bundled in his mind, finally began to tumble out. Being closed up for so long, it was the reprieve he was after. And Emma's rational ear was the only place where his words would be truly heard and empathised.

"We never truly see what we have until it's taken away or we're put into a situation where we have to make do with what's available. You appreciate everything so much more. Like time. Time is oh so precious," Emma agreed.

"I can't have time slipping away anymore," Desperation grew in his tone. "I've got so much to do. So many things to say." _Like what you mean to me. What you do to me. How you get me all flustered yet somehow raise my spirits and make me a better person._ Even in this light, Emma's beauty shone through.

She took his hand in support. "Start now. You'll regret it if you don't. Believe me." Emma took a deep breath. "My therapist made me aware of how my illness was stopping me from being the person I was meant to be. I mean, I've been that person my whole life. How can I be a different me? How am I supposed to know when I've become the me I'm supposed to be?" Although Emma could see a clear path ahead of her, there were moments she felt absolutely lost when it came to knowing herself. She was scared. She needed Will to help her through the odd entanglements. He was the only person Emma trusted with all her heart.

"You'll know Em. You'll just know. You remind me of a butterfly. Before, when I first met you, you were still the caterpillar, tucked up in your cocoon. It's familiar; it's what you know. But I can see the difference in you now. You're no longer that caterpillar. You've emerged into that beautiful, fragile monarch butterfly, spreading her wings, learning to fly. The wind may blow you every which way, but not long after, there you are, soaring higher than before, catching those wind currents and discovering new things. And loving every second."

Wow. Will's little analogy made her head spin. _He knows me so well_. "You think I'm a butterfly?" Her eyes danced.

Will's voice became husky. "I do."

She left Will's side and began to stick her nose in every single rosebud, drawing in the varying sweet scents, taking her time, savouring each ounce of fragrance. "Butterflies love flowers."

"Emma, you'll make yourself giddy inhaling deeply like that."

"I'm a butterfly, we don't get giddy," She chirped loudly, continuing her fragrant feast.

"Em, Em, Em," Will grasped her arm. "There's a better way to smell the roses." _It's now or never, Schuester,_ he thought, _it was great being a kid and all, but now, it's grown-up time._

She paused, a confused look on her face. "How else do you –"

"Come here, I'll show you."

Enclosing Emma in his arms, Will held her firmly against his body. Overwhelmed by the emotion bubbling in his heart and her beautiful expressive eyes, he tenderly pressed his lips to hers. Emma felt a sear of passion whisk through her body, welcoming the kiss she'd been longing for all summer. Her lips were soft and sweet, just as Will remembered. Emma sighed contentedly as his hands leisurely travelled from her hips to the top of her neck, cupping her head. The scent of roses faded away, happily replaced with Will's cologne, which Emma let engulf her senses. Her lily dropped to the ground. This was a hundred times better than cuddling up to any vest.

Pulling away from her mouth was extremely difficult for Will. He could kiss her forever. They paused, releasing breaths unaware that they were holding. Emma gazed into his eyes, losing herself in the haze of heat and love that surrounded only them. Will knew the feeling was mutual. More than mutual.

She begged and pleaded with her mind.

_Don't stop._

Will read her face instantly and dove back into the kiss, hungrier this time, wanting to taste her over and over. He promised not to let go again. As if being connected to Emma was the only way he could breathe right now. As if stopping would make her vanish from within his grasp.

As if his life depended on it.

The world began to fade away as the couple continued their long-awaited reunion. He parted her lips with his tongue, sweeping through the inside of her mouth, claiming what he wanted to be his forever. Emma pulled him closer, gripping his shirt, closing the non-existent gap between them. Her heart beat faster, her body trembling from his touch. Will let out a low moan from the back of his throat as she stroked his tongue with her own. Swaying together rhythmically, sinking into each other's bodies, they drifted into the deep, caught in their own powerful undercurrent.

It was time to come up for air again. Will kissed her nose, and with ragged breath, admitted, "I wish I had spent the entire summer with you, instead of just today." He brushed some of Emma's hair behind her ear.

Using her index fingers to draw imaginary circles on Will's chest, Emma replied, "Me too. I've wanted you to kiss me like that for the longest time." She looked up at him, biting her lip.

He kissed her forehead. "I need you in my life, Emma. Not just for a day or a summer, but a lifetime. Stop and smell the roses with me, please."

A single tear rolled down Emma's cheek. "There's no one else I'd rather smell the roses with. I love with you Will, more than I ever thought possible."

Will felt his heart soar. "Em, you mean everything to me. Because, I know you're the one. I love you. I still love you. I never stopped loving you." As he kissed away Emma's tears, he felt his own overflow.

"Oh Will, don't cry," Emma sniffled.

"I can't help it, I've waited so long for this moment, to have you in my arms again. To touch you like I'm doing now. To look into your eyes and just know that you feel the same way. It feels so good and so right. You are everything to me." He wiped his tears of joy and smiled his beautiful lopsided smile.

"You are my one true love, Will Schuester. You've given me wings to fly." Emma hugged him tight. Will was hers, forever.

He left a lingering kiss on her cheek. "Let's go, sweetie."

Emma turned to pick up the lily she dropped during that heart-stopping kiss. Will caught the curve of her waist, tickling with his fingertips. Emma laughed and twitched at his gentle touch, failing to escape from those magic fingers.

"Hey! What was that for?" Emma giggled between words.

"You are ticklish. I _was_ right!"

As they walked to the exit of the Children's Garden, Will put his arm around Emma's shoulder. She snuggled into Will's body, wrapping one arm around his body, clutching her lily in the other. There was no other place she'd rather be right now.


End file.
